Photo catch-up: Callahan State Park

[urbpan]

Last week we (cottonmanifesto, the dogs, and I) went to Callahan State Park, in Framingham. Framingham's main claim to importance in the universe is convenient highway access (exits on the Mass Pike and Rt. 9) and the shopping malls that highway access demands. But it also contains Callahan State Park, 800 acres of healthy forest. We saw many forest wildflowers, and no garlic mustard! Here are my pictures:







An insect nymph called a spittlebug takes refuge in nest of protective froth.



Only a week after knowing of its existance, due to my brother remembering something I didn't, I discover Indian cucumber.





It's endangered in two US states, and only grows in healthy forest ecosystems. The root is edible (and apparently cucumber-like). I like how it grows in tiers. I got to it after the flower was gone, but before the fruit was very visible.



Two specimens of New England's most prominent orchid, the pink lady-slipper, converse in the wood.



A tiny American toadlet has some unusual blotchyness.



Immediately after I proclaimed it was too dry for mushrooms, we encountered several large oyster mushrooms (Pleurotis sp.)



People who collect wild mushrooms to eat like this one, as do the fungus gnats, apparently.



A tiny colorful spider (its abdomen was metallic, but this didn't come through in my picture).



Two prickly climbers in embrace: multiflora rose and greenbriar.

For more pictures of our day, see these.
(yes, Alexis, I know one of the pictures is huge; no time to resize it)

Comments

[anais2.livejournal.com]

The fungi pics are glorious!

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

I was gonna complain about the huge one AND the fact that you have a duplicate. :)

[drocera.livejournal.com]

I learned two new things from this tour!

1) What actually lives in that spit.
2) Indian cucumbers! Never even heard of such a thing...and I'm even 1/4 indian, LOL. (Or to be politally correct - Native American)

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

He neeeeeeeeeeeeds to do a spittlebug entry - we have a TON 'round here.

p.s. We both wanted to see the pic of your gramma in poop.

[drocera.livejournal.com]

Look at your own risk!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v150/TamShad/DSC02786.jpg

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

omg - excuse me for laughing but HA HA HA! Whose poop is that?

[drocera.livejournal.com]

LOL! I thought it was hysterical, too! I'm glad someone else shares my sick sense of humor! It's actuallt lamb poop. Gram went out in the backyard yesterday and fell. Her head went right into the poop. (She wasnt hurt, though, other than her pride.)

I couldnt stop laughing all day...except for the 10 minutes or so when I was scrubbing it out of her hair!

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

Objectively, the phrase "Gramma fell in poop" is pretty fucking funny. The photo just makes it so much better.

Poor Gramma, I'm sure her pride was hurt!

[nutmeg.livejournal.com]

My favorite thing is to see the Multiflora rose and the mile a minute and the kudzu (down here), not to mention the oriental bittersweet fight it out.

[droserary.livejournal.com]

oooh, Polygonum perfoliatum, one of my faves. Never seen it in the wild, but it was apparently released not to far from my undergrad college in PA. Blame a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania nursery owner who received it in a shipment of Rhododendrons.

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

There was another plant that looked similar to Indian Cucumber but was poisonous. I always had to check with mom before I ate one because I couldn't figure out the difference. Once you do, you should try some. The roots are white, about a half inch to an inch long, crunchy and tasty. They're similar in texture, but not taste, to bok choy.